Know The Requirements
Do your homework regarding your contractor's licensing. All states
that license contractors and tradesmen keep lists of license holders.
Contact your state licensing board for licensing requirements specific
to your state. Except for plumbers and electricians, tradesmen paid
by the hour usually don't

need a license. Contractors bidding on
any significant work (more than a few hundred dollars) need a license
in most states. If you have a problem with a licensed contractor or
tradesman, the state licensing board can be a powerful ally in resolving
issues. Get into a dispute with an unlicensed contractor or tradesman
and you're on your own.

Learn more about your state's requirements
- select an option below.

Please note: A license number
on a bid or contract does not necessarily mean the license is valid.
Before you sign anything, call your state licensing board to make
sure the contractor is properly licensed in the class of work to be
performed, and that the license is in good standing.

ALABAMA
The state of Alabama requires any general contractor working on a
commercial or industrial project costing $50,000 or more to get a
license. General contractors working on a residential project that
costs $10,000 or more need a license.

ALASKA
Alaska law requires that contractors be registered with the Department
of Community and Economic Development.

ARIZONA
Basically, you need a license to bid on any job over $750 in Arizona.

ARKANSAS
To bid and work on construction projects in Arkansas that cost $20,000
or more, you must get a contractor's license.

CALIFORNIA
With a few exceptions, all businesses or individuals who work on any
building, highway, road, parking facility, railroad, excavation, or
other structure in California must be licensed by the California Contractors
State License Board (CSLB) if the total cost of one or more contracts
on the project is $500 or more

COLORADO
General construction contractors in Colorado are not licensed by the
state. You should check for license requirements at the local level.
You will need a license to do electrical or plumbing work in the state,
however.

CONNECTICUT
Home improvement and new home construction contractors must be certified.
Anyone working on major projects must be registered.

DELAWARE
Contractors bidding on jobs over $50,000 must apply for a license.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Electrical, plumbing, and home improvement contractors must be licensed to work in the District of Columbia.

FLORIDA
You need to be registered or certified to do construction work in
Florida. You can get a "registered" contractor's license at the local
level, unless a certified license is required by the county in which
you want to perform the work. Contractors with a "certified" license
are allowed to work anywhere in the state.

GEORGIA
Most contractors don't need a license in Georgia. The exception is
asbestos abatement and the mechanical trades.

HAWAII
Hawaii requires general engineering, general building and specialty
contractors to be licensed.

IDAHO
The state of Idaho doesn't license general contractors working on
private sector residential or commercial projects. That's done at
the local level. However the state does license plumbers, electricians,
well drillers, fire protection sprinkler contractors, and public works
contractors.

ILLINOIS
Most construction contractors don't need to be licensed in Illinois.
Roofing and plumbing contractors are the exception.

INDIANA
Only plumbing contractors need to be licensed in Indiana. Public Works
and Department of Transportation work must be done by certified or
pre-qualified contractors. Before beginning work, you should check
for license requirements at the local level.

IOWA
Plumbers and electricians must be registered with the state but are
licensed at the local level. Asbestos workers, contractors and supervisors
must obtain licenses for all asbestos projects.

KANSAS
Kansas doesn't license construction contractors at the state level.
But you should check for licensing requirements at the local level.

KENTUCKY
Electrical, plumbing and HVAC contractors have to be licensed in Kentucky.

LOUISIANA
To do construction work in Louisiana you need to be licensed by the
State Licensing Board for Contractors.

MAINE
General building contractors do not need a license in Maine. You'll
need to be licensed to do asbestos abatement work, or electrical or
plumbing contracting.

MARYLAND
General construction contractors don't need a license to work in Maryland.
You will need a license to do electrical, plumbing or HVACR contracting,
or work on home improvement projects.

MASSACHUSETTS
Anyone who supervises construction work or demolition (even a crew
of one) needs a license.

MICHIGAN
Contractors working on residential or a combination of residential
and commercial buildings must be licensed. Electricians, plumbers
and HVAC contractors also have to be licensed.

MISSISSIPPI
A certificate or license is required for all but the smallest construction
and remodeling projects.

MISSOURI
The state of Missouri doesn't license construction contractors.

MONTANA
All construction contractors and subcontractors must register with
the Department of Labor and Industry if they have employees. Those
contractors without employees may register, but are not required to
do so.

NEBRASKA
All contractors doing business in counties with a population of 100,000
or more need a license to do business. Nonresident contractors doing
business in Nebraska must register with the Nebraska Secretary of
State and the Nebraska Department of Revenue. All electricians have
to be licensed.

NEVADA
You must be licensed to bid or work on construction jobs in Nevada.

NEW HAMPSHIRE
Only certain types of specialty contractors are licensed: asbestos
and lead abatement contractors, electrical contractors and plumbing
contractors.

NEW JERSEY
You must register to be in the business of building new homes in New
Jersey. You must also warrant each new home you build and provide
warranty follow-up services. Plumbers and electricians are licensed
in New Jersey.

NEW YORK
Except for asbestos abatement work, all construction work in New York
is regulated at the local level.

NORTH CAROLINA
To work as a general contractor on projects costing more than $30,000
in North Carolina, you must get a license from the North Carolina
Licensing Board for General Contractors. Electrical, plumbing, heating
and fire sprinkler contractors must be licensed.

NORTH DAKOTA
You must have a license in North Dakota to work on any job costing
$2,000 or more.

OHIO
The state of Ohio doesn't license contractors. The municipality where
work is done does that. However the Ohio Construction Industry Examining
Board issues Qualification Certificates for plumbing, electrical,
HVAC, hydronics, and refrigeration contractors. Landscapers need to be
licensed if they plant trees or shrubs.

OKLAHOMA
Oklahoma doesn't license resident construction contractors, except
in the electrical, mechanical and plumbing trades. But there are some
special requirements for nonresident contractors.

OREGON
If you're paid for any construction activity, you need to register
with the Oregon Construction Contractors Board.

PENNSYLVAINIA
Contractors are not licensed in Pennsylvania. However the Department
of Transportation has certain requirements for public works contractors.

RHODE ISLAND
If you build, repair, or remodel one- to four-family dwellings in
Rhode Island, you must register with the Contractors' Registration
Board. Some specialty trades must be licensed in Rhode Island.

SOUTH CAROLINA
To do residential building over $200 and commercial building over
$5,000 in South Carolina you must be licensed.

SOUTH DAKOTA
South Dakota certifies or licenses only asbestos abatement, electrical
and plumbing contractors.

TENNESSEE
You must have a license to do construction work in Tennessee.

TEXAS
Only specialty contractors, including HVAC, fire sprinkler systems,
plumbing, and well drilling/pump installation specialists, need to
be licensed in Texas.

UTAH
To do construction work in Utah you need a license from the Division
of Occupational and Professional Licensing. Electricians and plumbers
have to be licensed.

VERMONT
Contractors need to be certified to do asbestos or lead abatement
and licensed to do electrical or plumbing work.

VIRGINIA
Some construction contractors must be licensed in Virginia. Trade
licenses are required for electrical, plumbing, HVAC, gas fitting,
asbestos abatement and lead abatement work.

WASHINGTON
To do construction work in Washington you must register with the Washington
Department of Labor and Industries. Electricians and plumbers must
be licensed.

WEST VIRGINIA
Construction contractors have to be licensed in West Virginia.

WISCONSIN
Most residential builders must have a state credential. Electricians,
plumbers and some specialty trades must have a state credential.

WYOMING
All contractors, except electrical, are licensed at the local (city
or county) level. However, the state requires everyone doing electrical
work in Wyoming to be licensed.

Matt Myers is a freelance writer for the home maintenance and remodeling industry. Formerly a contractor specializing in deck building and casework, Matt has written over 500 articles for both homeowners and contractors.